Corey Widmer says the experience has made him think more about how he can help others.
Maryland's Montgomery County is building mixed-income apartments in which people who can afford to pay market rate allow other renters to pay less. Cities and states nationwide are taking up the idea.
(Image credit: Alyssa Schukar)
For the most part, the justices still try to portray the court as amicable, but you don’t have to be a genius to see that they are not exactly happy campers.
(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)
Vice President Harris needs to win back Michigan voters President Biden looked poised to lose. Donald Trump’s appeal remains strong here, but he’s not without his own struggles.
(Image credit: Sylvia Jarrus for NPR)
State lawmakers from both parties are expanding protections for patients burdened by medical debt.
(Image credit: Ash Ponders for KFF Health News)
Differences in how quickly each state’s counties can report this year’s election results may lead to another “blue shift” or “red mirage” on the presidential electoral map.
(Image credit: Byambasuren Byamba-Ochir)
At Kibbutz Be'eri, where Hamas-led militants killed more than 100 people last Oct. 7, residents are grieving, reburying their loved ones — and returning to live in their old homes.
(Image credit: Maya Levin for NPR)
The past few years have been tough for the average consumer. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer prices have risen by 3%, 5%, and 6% over the last three years. The consumer industry isn’t the only industry impacted either.
Just look at the world of enterprise tech, for example. In November of 2022 — back when the consumer price index was busy setting records of the worst kind imaginable — enterprise tech prices were quietly climbing at a rate 4 times higher than that of overall market inflation. What’s worse, this came at a time when organizations were setting records for average SaaS portfolio size. For a time, 1 in every 8 dollars spent by modern organizations went directly to SaaS costs.
Gathering Economic Storm Clouds Cast Towering Tech Stacks in a New LightThat is, until, some sudden economic headwinds caused the powers that be in the business world to second guess their towering tech stacks (and the eye-watering expenses associated with them). And so, today, we find ourselves in a period of “stack streamlining” — or, for those that view the situation with a bit more vitriol, “trimming the tech fat.”
No matter what you call it, it’s a wise move for most businesses to cast a critical eye on their SaaS expenditures. However, it’s important to remember that not all SaaS solutions are built equally. While some tools undoubtedly fall into the category of fluff, others are downright indispensable. Unfortunately, it’s not always readily apparent which applications fall into which categories.
That’s why, in this article, we’ll take a look at some tips for how to conduct a measured, effective tech audit; and also make the case for why almost anything in the cybersecurity space should be considered absolutely last on the list of expendable enterprise apps in today’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
As the Consumer Price Index Cools, Enterprise Tech Costs Continue to ClimbBack in 2022, when enterprise tech prices were busy blowing overall consumer inflation out of the water, the eternal optimists of the world were probably reassuring their peers that this would be a flash in the pan. However, over the ensuing 12-month period ending in November of 2024, nearly two-thirds (73%) of all SaaS vendors raised their prices even further, at an average year-over-year increase of over 12%. Worse yet, more than a few vendors made those double-digit price hikes look like modest adjustments. Webflow, for example, hiked the price of their flagship software by a jaw-dropping 23% in 2023 alone.
Although SaaS prices continued to outpace overall market inflation by more than 200% — the size of the average corporate SaaS portfolio reached an all-time high of over 370 applications. However, this highwater mark for enterprise SaaS adoption was short-lived.
Executives Call Bloated Enterprise Tech Stacks into QuestionAs you’ve probably already imagined, it didn’t take long for the average business decision-maker to look upon SaaS costs (along with practically every other source of capital expenditure) with a critical eye — and they weren’t exactly pleased with what they saw.
Just as SaaS portfolios were reaching all-time highs in size, another study from the same period revealed that less than half (44%) of companies’ SaaS applications were actually being regularly used by employees. At the same time, studies showed that the U.S. IT departments were wasting roughly $85B per year on bad tech. Due in part to revelations like these (along with other internal and external forces), by year’s end 2023, the average SaaS portfolio size had suddenly fallen in size by over 10% YoY.
As Your Business Considers Tightening Its Purse Strings, Beware Sacrificing Security PostureIn case you’ve missed it, the past few years have brought about some profound changes in the world of cybersecurity. With massive increases in advanced phishing attacks — such as business email compromise (BEC), spear phishing, and advanced social engineering — along with the arrival of generative AI, deepfakes, and a slew of other cutting-edge threats, CISOs and their teams are feeling the heat, to say the least.
In fact, in Splunk’s 2024 State of Security survey report, when asked what types of cyberattacks are most concerning, “AI-powered attacks” topped the list as the number one most anxiety-inducing type of attack. In the same report, 32% of respondents were most concerned about attackers using generative AI to optimize existing attacks, such as crafting more realistic phishing emails or refining malicious scripts. Another oft-cited concern is the possibility of less skilled, opportunistic hackers exploiting generative AI to drive a significant uplift in social engineering attacks — contributing to the 28% of respondents that worry that generative AI will help adversaries increase the volume of existing attacks.
While I’d argue that this is not the time to skimp on any form of cybersecurity, the fact that email still represents the number one threat vector, playing a role in upwards of 96% of all breaches today, if one slice of your security architecture must be prioritized it ought to be protecting your employees’ inboxes, and, increasingly, security professionals are coming to the conclusion that the only way to effectively fight these new, AI-enabled threats is by leveraging the adaptive intelligence of AI themselves.
Whether Budgets Are Set to Fall or Stall, Security Postures Will Be Put at RiskAs businesses look to assess the worth of various tools in their technology stacks, you will inevitably hear calls for compromise in the form of budget freezes — that is, rather than cutting budgets, simply freezing the current state of one’s stack in order to prevent any further cost increases.
While this may sound reasonable at first blush, not every part of your stack is in a position to be frozen in time. And that holds especially true in the field of cybersecurity. As we cited earlier, the modern threat landscape is changing at breakneck speed — with new, much more advanced (and often AI-enabled) attack types being discovered by the day. In such an environment, simply sticking with one’s legacy security solutions — such as secure email gateways (SEGs) — is often just as problematic as making active cuts; as these types of tools are fundamentally unfit to defend against today’s modern, AI-driven cyberthreats.
At the end of the day, the future of cybersecurity will be a battle between offensive and defensive applications of AI. And as of today, most security professionals are torn as to which side of the battlefield will emerge victorious. In the aforementioned State of Security Report from Splunk, just 43% of respondents felt that AI would benefit defensive capabilities the most, while 45% felt adversaries would win the day with AI. This marks an encouraging uptick from just eight months ago, where a similar report found only 17% of respondents thought AI would advantage defenders.
Strap In, CISOs: Cost-Cutting, Complacency Join AI on the Rapidly-Expanding List of Existential Threats to Organizational CybersecurityIn 2020 and 2021 — just as remote work, endless Zoom meetings, and the use of sketchy public wi-fi networks at your local Starbucks were becoming facts of life — business leaders across the private sector recognized the very real and immediate need for increased investment in cybersecurity.
And so, for two triumphant years, double-digit budget increases became the norm throughout the field of cybersecurity. But, not for long. According to research from IANS and Artico, by 2023, the average cybersecurity budget increase had fallen to just 6%. And yet, for a sizable percentage of organizations, matters were even worse. In the same study, well over a third (37%) of survey respondents said their organizations’ cybersecurity budgets had either remained flat or were reduced in fiscal year 2023.
While we’ve most certainly seen purse strings tighten as of late, most of today’s analysts are forecasting that tech budgets will in fact continue to grow — rather than contract — over the next 12 to 24 months — albeit at slower rates than we’ve seen in the past.
Perhaps most importantly, cuts and freezes won’t be instituted uniformly across operations. That’s why, as cost-cutting initiatives continue to gain steam, it’s up to the cybersecurity community to make the case to leadership that their budget is one that simply cannot be skimped on — and leading vectors such as email should be bolstered at any costs.
And for those not well-versed in the art of internal advocacy, hopefully this article gives you a good place to start.
We've listed the best secure email providers.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
Numerous leaks have suggested that the iPad mini 7 is fast approaching, with the most telling sign perhaps being the clearance of iPad mini 6 stock, and now we have a specific date for when Apple’s next mini slate might ship.
According to Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg, the iPad mini 7 could ship on Friday, November 1, following an announcement around the end of October. So in other words this tablet could be announced in just a few weeks, and ship in less than four weeks.
While we’d always take release date leaks with a pinch of salt, Gurman has a solid track record for reporting Apple information, and this isn’t the first time we’ve heard mention of an October Apple event.
So we’d say there’s a high chance this date is accurate – and if so it’s welcome news, as the iPad mini (2021) is long overdue a successor.
No sign of the iPad 11If you’re interested in new models of other Apple tablets though you’ll probably have to wait until the first half of 2025, when Gurman says Apple might launch new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models, along with the iPhone SE 4.
He makes no mention of new iPad Pro models, but with the iPad Pro (2024) having only landed this year that’s not too surprising. What is slightly more surprising is that there’s also no mention of the iPad 11, despite the current standard iPad model – the iPad 10.9 (2022) – being almost two years old.
So if you’re hoping for a new model in Apple’s base or high-end iPad lines, it looks like you might be waiting a while yet.
You might also likeThe official Android app for Kaspersky antivirus software have been removed from the Google Play app store in the latest blow for the company.
BleepingComputer notes the move appears to have happened over the weekend, with Kaspersky's developer accounts also disabled and removed following a recent ban by the US government.
"The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security recently announced a variety of restrictions on Kaspersky. As a result, we have removed Kaspersky’s apps from Google Play," a Google spokesperson said.
Kaspersky Android app removedIn a post on its official forums, Kaspersky said it was aware of the issue, and was investigating why its software is no longer available on Google's app store.
"The downloads and updates of Kaspersky products are temporarily unavailable on the Google Play store," a Kaspersky employee posted.
"Kaspersky is currently investigating the circumstances behind the issue and exploring potential solutions to ensure that users of its products can continue downloading and updating their applications from Google Play."
The company said users could still download its apps from alternative app stores, such as Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, and Xiaomi GetApps, or install the apps by downloading the .apk installation file from Kaspersky's website.
The move is the latest problem to hit the security giant, which has faced mounting issues in recent months as it faces US sanctions following concerns over national security. The US has long argued Kaspersky software is at risk of being manipulated by the Russian government to hand over secrets and control of the computers, and ordered a full ban on the sale of its products earlier in 2024.
The Russian firm was added to the US Entity List, which comprises “foreign individuals, companies, and organizations deemed a national security concern,”, with a ban on the sale of Kaspersky products starting July 20, 2024.
Subsequent updates to Kaspersky software also ceased from September 29, but the company did offer free security products and safety tips to its customers for six months.
This was followed by further controversy in September 2024 when Kaspersky customers in the US found their antivirus software replaced without warning with a new solution called UltraAV.
More from TechRadar ProAlejandro Arcos was sworn in last Monday as mayor of Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located.
Deepfake technology is rapidly emerging as AI’s latest ‘Pandora’s box. No longer limited to producing parodic content of politicians (who’ll ever forget the Pope sporting Moncler?), we are now seeing generative AI being actively weaponized, from misleading political deepfakes, clickbait celebrity advertisements, to school children deep-faking explicit pictures of classmates.
As the capabilities of AI tools race ahead of regulation, many are growing concerned of the very real threat it poses. New legislation is coming in – but much of it is too narrow, or too vague to protect people comprehensively. And on the flip side, these new rules have implications that could easily catch out professionals trying to utilize generative AI in legitimate ways.
So, what legal protection in the UK currently exists around deepfake technologies, and what behaviors are prohibited?
The Varieties of VisageFirst, it’s important to actually define what makes a deepfake, a deepfake. After all, similarities exist in nature – there’s the old adage that seven people in the world look like you - but to what extent of similarity are you protected by regulation – and where can you slip up as a business? A useful example is the 2019 ruling against vape company Diamond Mist. The business’ adverts included one with the strapline “Mo’s mad for menthol” accompanied by imagery of a male model with a bald head and thick eyebrows.
Mo Farah took to Twitter to complain about the potential confusion, concerned people would think he had endorsed the product. Ultimately, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled that the advert did indeed gave a “misleading impression”: while ‘Mo’ is a common moniker, the model’s head and eyebrows were “reminiscent” enough of the athlete that viewers would associate it with Mo Farah as one of the most well-known figures in the UK by that name.
Herein lies the crux: while the image wasn’t a deepfake, it was similar enough to confuse viewers, and the same applies to deepfakes. If it’s misleading enough to confuse someone else, you have grounds to consider litigation.
Conversely, as a business, you need to consider all potential interpretations of imagery to ensure you can use generative AI without getting caught up in legal complications. Just because the stock gen-AI photo you’re using to head up a LinkedIn article seems generic, doesn’t mean it is. Voice, gestures, and context are all factors taken into consideration., but ultimately the question is: did it confuse viewers?
Current Legislation around DeepfakesTo date, there is no single piece of legislation within the UK that provides blanket protection against deepfakes. Instead, individuals are protected under an assortment of regulations depending on the nature of the deepfake.
Online Safety Act
The Online Safety Act has one main provision against deepfakes. While it has been illegal to share intimate or explicit images of someone without their consent since 2015, the Online Safety Act has compounded this ruling to make it illegal to also share intimate AI-generated images of someone without their consent. Crucially, unlike the ruling about genuine intimate content, you do not need to prove that the creator intended to cause distress in the case of deepfake imagery, although it is considered a further serious offence if a sexual intention can be demonstrated. It’s vital to note that this ruling does not criminalize the creation of an explicit deepfake, only the sharing. The Online Safety Act is also primarily focused on removing offensive content; many are concerned that provisions will prove ineffective while the creation of intimate deepfakes continues to be unregulated, while perpetrators escape punishment.
Advertising Standards Agency
The ASA steps in when advertisements contain misleading content. In terms of deepfakes, this mostly arises in the case of scam adverts or clickbait; it’s unlikely to affect everyday people, and those running businesses should know not to use celebrities, who have usually trademarked their likeness, gestures, and voice, for example.
More interestingly, however, is the grey area of similarity that deepfakes are set to exacerbate. One thing that the Mo Farah case particularly highlighted was that likeness doesn’t need to be identical, it just needs to confuse the viewer enough to create reasonable doubt. With generative AI drawing from copyrighted material, there is now a danger that businesses could accidentally infringe ASA regulations by using gen-AI output that is accidentally similar enough to real-life celebrities to cause confusion. Intent in this case isn’t relevant: all that matters is whether viewers have been misled, and it could land businesses in hot water with the ASA.
Civil LawThe final recourse for UK citizens is under civil law. While there is no specific legislation addressing deepfakes, individuals could seek recourse in the following situations:
In such cases, an individual would be best to seek legal guidance on how to proceed.
Future of deepfake legislationSo, where does legislation go from here? Hopefully, forward. The UK government took a considerable step back from the issue in the run-up to the election, but with the EU AI Act leading the way it’s likely we’ll see new regulation coming down the track soon.
The greater issue, however, is enforcement. Between the three bodies we’ve discussed above, the Online Safety Act, the Advertising Standards Agency, and UK civil law, all are centered on regulating output on a case-by-case basis. Currently, the UK has no regulation in place or proposals to input greater safety measures around the programs themselves. In fact, many are celebrating the lack of regulation in the UK following the EU AI Act, hoping it leads to a boon in AI industries.
Current strategies, however, remain inefficient. Victims require legal support to make any headway in cases, and creators continue to escape repercussions. Widespread control of technology is similarly impractical – one only need look at GDPR to get a sense of that. Efforts to do so, such as the EU AI Act, still fail to tackle the problem with open-source generative technologies remaining completely unregulated.
It appears that an independent adjudicator will be required – an Ofcom for AI – but how independent, or effective, this will prove remains to be seen. Let’s just hope that the new Government manage to strike some kind of balance between industry, personal protection, and business innovation.
We've listed the best business laptops.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
LeBron James and his son, Bronny, are the first father and son to play in any NBA game at the same time, let alone on the same team.
(Image credit: William Liang)
Mylio has announced its new platform for personal, family, or business cloud storage needs.
Mylio SecureCloud is available with a base subscription starting at $11.98 per month for 2TB of storage, which the company hopes will make it an accessible option for a wide range of users, from individuals to small businesses.
For those already subscribed to Mylio Photos+, SecureCloud can be easily managed directly within the Mylio Photos app, but the company also provides complimentary personalized setup and backup guidance sessions to help users optimize their media management.
Offline access, fast search, privacy, and a unified library all in one packageMylio SecureCloud provides offline access to all files, thus internet connectivity is not always needed, meaning it should come in handy for frequent travelers or professionals who need to access important documents or presentations during flights or in areas with limited internet access.
In addition to offline access, Mylio also offers a search tool that enables users to find specific files quickly and efficiently. It supports search with keywords, dates, or advanced features like AI SmartTags, which is designed to locate files across a user's entire media library in seconds.
All data stored within the service is protected by encryption, ensuring that only authorized users can access it, and Mylio SecureCloud ensures data is never used for advertising, AI training, or shared with third parties. For businesses handling sensitive documents, Mylio SecureCloud offers a secure environment for storing and transferring critical files between local devices and the cloud without losing their metadata or organizational structure.
Unlike many other cloud storage services, the platform does not force users to upload all their data to the cloud. Instead, it offers flexible syncing options that allow users to decide what data stays on local devices and what is stored in the cloud.
Powered by Backblaze, Mylio SecureCloud ensures fast and efficient data synchronization. Users can upload high-resolution photos or large video files, ensuring that media is always backed up and available when needed. Moreover, quick recovery options are available in case of data loss or device failure. Media libraries can be accessed across multiple devices and operating systems, including iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.
More from TechRadar ProNeither former President Donald Trump nor Vice President Harris have plans to fix the national debt, risking "an eventual fiscal crisis," a budget nonprofit group found in its analysis.
(Image credit: Saul Loeb)